Alterations
by Soulreciever
Summary: what if fic. The question? What if Gollum got to Frodo BEFORE he put the ring on? Interested aas to how it makes a difference then come in and see. Potential FS
1. Default Chapter

                                    Alterations.

T: yep I'm back and as promised yet another L.O.T.R fanfic. This is actually one of my own devising…plot wise any way. This is another what if fic (just because I was inspired I suppose!) and the question this time? What if Gollum had gotten to Frodo BEFORE he put the Ring on up on mount doom? Interested to know how this makes a difference? Want to know how Gollum managed to get there before Sam? Then read on.

Sam: ummm…mistress Tash?

T: Yes Sam?

Sam: Don't you have to do the disclaimer?

T: Oppsy! Direct quotes utilised. Spoilers for ROTK and potential F/S slash…trust me there is always potential for slash in my fan fics. Anyway, everything here is Tolkien's, but one day I shall own Sam just you wait and see!

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He could feel it's power, so close, so close. All he had to do was put it on and claim it for his own.

A sound behind him alerted him to the approach of his companion. He felt compelled to gloat, to boast over the power that was nearly his now.

"I have come." He said. "But I do not chose now to do what I came to do. I will not do this deed. The Ring is mine." And suddenly the hot circlet of gold into which all his desire and will was bent was pulled from his fingers by the creature Gollum. 

"It'sss mine again at lasst, my preciousss." The creature said, raising his prize high into the air. And it was in this moment that Frodo Baggins found his strength again and springing forward, he pushed both Gollum and his prize into the fiery pits of Mount Doom.

He was still, for but a moment, his mind touching just briefly what may have befallen him if the one Ring had been slipped onto his finger in that moment. For, having never truly claimed it as his own, Frodo had regained all that he had lost of himself while bearing its power. 

Free as he was now, his mind turned toward lighter things, to walking again the soil of the Shire. Memories of his homeland brought with them memories of his companions and suddenly aware that he was still alone in the cavern he turned and left that place in search of his faithful Samwise. 

There was a roar and a great confusion of noise. Fires leaped up and licked the roof of the cavern behind him. Yet Frodo perceived none of this, he was blind even to the destruction of the Dark Lord's castle, for his mind was bent now upon the welfare of his beloved servant. 

He traced his path back down the mountain until he found Samwise where he had left him facing Gollum. There was a great difference now however. When Frodo had left him Sam had still been very much himself. Bristling with both courage and hope as he again laid his life out to protect his master. `Go on` he had said and so Frodo had, onwards towards victory.

Now, however, he wished he had remained in that place with Sam. Journeyed those last scant inches with his servant at his side, as he always had been. For Samwise Gamgee had at last suffered great harm in the protection of his master.

At first sight of friend all Frodo could register was the blood, so much blood, staining every inch of Sam's clothing, skin and somehow a small amount had even worked its way into his hair. Its presence matting his golden curls together. Once he was by his friend's side though, he realised that most of the blood had spilled from Sam's nose, which had been broken by a harsh blow.

There was a patch however, on his stomach that could not have been caused by the nose, merely due to the large amount of blood that stained that section.

Frodo moved to press his hand to the wound, but found his inspection halted by Sam's well worn, nut brown hands. 

"I wouldn't if I were you Mr. Frodo. That Gollum's hurt me a treat and I think it's best we don't go aggravating the wound." He said. Frodo nodded and resting his hands onto Sam's chest he enquired,

"What happened after I left you Sam?"

"Well Sir, I was all ready to gut that fiend, but me heart just didn't feel right doing as such. I suppose I felt pity for him, for even though I only bore the Ring for a short time I could understand its pull. So I sent him away, but he still had a little strength left in him, for, the moment I turned my back on him he rushed me. 

"He landed a solid blow on my nose and the next I knew my stomach was bleeding and he was off up the hill after you. I suppose he had found a sharp piece of flint or something of the like. Anyways, I must have passed out, for the next thing I recall is your face beside me. Is it done master?" He enquired. Before Frodo could reply the mountain convulsed. Great rents opened all around them and as the severity of their situation reached him, Frodo pulled Sam to him and ran as far down the mountain as his strength would allow him to go. They came eventually to a low ashen hill piled at the mountains foot and even if Frodo's strength would allow him he could travel no further, for there was no escape. They were standing on an island now, one that would not long endure amid the torrent of Orodurin.  All about them the earth gaped and from deep rifts and pits smoke and fumes leaped up. A slow river of fire had already begun its journey down the slope towards them and soon they would be engulfed. A rain of hot ash was falling.

Sam was standing now; leaning heavily against his master, their hands linked together, the bond between them as strong now as it had been the day they set out from Rivendale. 

"It would have been quite a tale to hear don't you think Mr. Frodo?"

"What tale Sam?"

"Ours Sir."

"I suppose it would have been at that Sam. We may hear it yet."

"Beggin' your pardon Sir, but I fear I shan't last much longer now, even if some unforeseen hope should come for us. I am wounded in the stomach you see Sir and even I, with the little knowledge of medicine that I have, know ill things are for one wounded in the stomach." He said. As he spoke a new weakness seemed to come over him and as the last words passed him lips he fell away into unconsciousness. 

And as Frodo sank to the floor, with his friend cradled in his arms and his tears flowing steadily, his eyes strayed north. There the sky far off was clear, as a cold blast rising to gale, drove back the darkness and the ruins of the clouds. 

And so it was that Gwaihir saw them with his keen far seeing eyes, as down the wild wind he came, and daring the great peril of the skies he circled in the air: two dark figures, forlorn, wrapped tight in one another upon a little hill, while the world shook around them, and gasped, and rivers of fire drew near. And even as he espied them and came swooping down he saw the Ring barer fall, worn out, or choked with fumes and heat, or stricken down by despair at last, hiding his eyes from death.

They lay together now; and down swept Gwaihir, and down came Landroval and Meneldor the swift; and in a dream, not knowing what fate had befallen them, the wonderers were lifted up and borne far away out of the darkness and the fire.

When Frodo awoke, he found that he was lying on some soft bed, but over him gently swayed wide beechen boughs, and through their young leaves sunlight glimmered, green and gold. All the air was full of sweet mingled scent.

The smell bore to him memories of Ithilien and of Sam lighting a fire under the sunny bank. For a moment he believed himself to have dreamt all that had happened afterwards and stretching he sat himself up. He was startled to find that Sam was not beside him and his memory came back to him in a torrent. "Oh! It wasn't a dream." He cried aloud. "Then where am I and where is Sam?"

And a voice spoke softly behind him. "You are in the land of Ithilien in the keeping of the king; who you shall see soon enough" With that Gandalf stood before him, robed in white, his beard now gleaming like pure snow in the twinkling of the leafy sunlight. There was worry written in his eyes, however and all joy Frodo felt at the knowledge that the wizard was not dead was over shadowed by doubt.

   At last the wizard caught one of Frodo's pale hands and said,

"Frodo my lad, I have no wish to grieve you now that you are well, but I have little good news for you. Master Samwise is still gravely ill and even the king now fears for his life."

"But there is hope, is there not Gandalf?"

"Perhaps. He is stronger than most hobbits I know of and only your strength is equal to his…perhaps even surpasses it." 

"Will you take me to see him?"

"Yes. If you feel well enough that is."

"I feel much more myself than I have since Weathertop."

"Then your wound pains you no more?"

"No. I know that it shall never completely heal but I had begun to fear that it would pain me always. That fear became my weakness. I almost claimed the Ring Gandalf, had it not been for Gollum I think I would have."

"It is well, I think, that you did not claim the Ring for your own Frodo. Had you done as such there would have been nothing left of your soul, your will, one it had been destroyed."

"Let us not think on that Gandalf. I am still well and whole, or at least I shall be when I see Sam again."

"Then see him we shall." He said. Frodo followed Gandalf to a small tent stood but a few feet from where he had been resting a few moments ago.

Inside there was room enough only for a man sized bed, three man sized visitors and a single chair, pushed against the side of the bed. There was only one man in the room now, one whom Frodo recognised well,

"Well hello Strider." He said.  Strider turned and again Frodo felt the joy of the reunion fade from his heart. The Ranger had a grim look to his grey eyes that Frodo faintly recalled seeing while under the influence of the wraith blade.

"It is good to see you well, Frodo." The ranger said, before his eyes turned back to his charge. Frodo came to the bedside and lifted himself to the chair. Once level with the top of the bed he allowed his eyes to take in his companion. 

Samwise was very pale, the natural sun kissed pallor of his skin washed away seemingly by illness. His nose had been re-set and his blood stained clothing replaced by a set of fine silken pyjamas that were far to big for him. The top of the pyjamas had been hitched up his stomach to prevent the blood that still tainted the skin there, from staining the fine clothing. 

"How is he Strider? True fully now mind you." Frodo enquired. 

"The wound at his stomach has become very seriously infected, I have treated it the best I can, yet it has yet to fully heal. Samwise himself is strong enough to fight off the infection, but I fear that if his fever rises again we shall loose him." The ranger replied.

A sob caught in Frodo's throat and bringing Sam's hand to his chest he said,

"You shall not leave me Sam, after all what am I without you? Since my parents died…since Bilbo brought me to Bag End, I have never been without you. Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, together forever…" Before his emotions swamped him, the tears breaking out of him and destroying what little sensibility he had left. Once he had composed himself enough to register anything but Sam, Gandalf advised the Ring bearer to rest for a small amount of time before he was presented officially to the king. 

When he had rested, Gandalf restored into his possession his star glass and Sam's box, which caused a fresh bought of tears to flow from the Hobbits eyes. He composed himself quickly this time and following Gandalf he descended out of the beech-grove towards the opening of the forest. 

He paid no heed to the knights that bowed as he passed and it was only the slow utterance of sound from a trumpet that stirred the Ring barer enough so that he could register the great host that stood in front of him. As he drew near swords were unsheathed, and spears were shaken, and horns and trumpets sang, and me cried with many voices in many tongues. No song passed their lips however, even though one had been constructed that fitted perfectly into this moment of celebration. For all that were there saw clearly the pain masked well in the Ring bearers eyes and felt painfully the absence of the other whom had been included in their song.

And so his face shadowed from troubled sleep and his eyes shining with unshed tears, Frodo went forward and saw that amidst the clamours host were set three high seats built of green turves. Behind the seat upon the right floated, white on green, a great horse running free; upon the left was a banner, silver upon blue, a ship swan-prowed faring on the sea; but behind the highest throne in the midst of all a great standard was spread on the breeze, and there a white tree flowered upon a sable field beneath a shining crown and seven glittering stars. On the throne sat Strider and though he seemed now so high and glad of face, kingly, lord of men, his grey eyes still bore the pinched tiredness evident as he regarded the broken body of Samwise Gamgee. 

Catching Frodo's eyes he bowed his knee before him: and taking him by the hand, he led him to the throne and setting him upon it, he turned to the men and captains who stood by and spoke, so that his voice rung over all the host crying:

"Praise him with great praise!" And when the glad shout had swelled up and died away again, to Frodo's embarrassment and increasing pain, a minstrel of Gondor stood forth, and knelt, and begged leave to sing. "And behold!" he said.

"Lo! Lords and Knights and men of valour unashamed, Kings and Princes and fair people of Gondor, and Riders of Rohan, and ye sons of Elrond and Elf and Dwarf and great hearts of the Shire, and all free Folk of the west, now listen to my lay. For I will sing to you of Frodo the Brave and the Ring of Doom." And as the minstrel began his song the Ring bearer wept openly, his tears bringing sorrow to all that saw them.   

At last the sun fell from the noon and the shadows of the trees lengthened, he ended. "Praise him with great praise!" he said and knelt. And then Aragorn stood up, and then the host arose, and they passed to pavilions made ready, to eat and drink so that they may drown away the sorrow that had again found their hearts. 

Frodo was led apart and brought to a tent. However when they came to remove his old raiment he shook his head and refused to explain his reluctance until Gandalf arrived. One the wizard did eventually appear, elven-cloak, sword and Mithril-coat in hand he was surprised to see Frodo still clothed in his old raiment, which still bore the livid ochre shade of Samwise's blood. 

"I am in no mood for merry making Gandalf. Kindly send my apologies to Strider and inform him that I will be with Sam should he wish to see me." The Ring bearer said. And Gandalf, perceiving his pain, passed the objects silently to the Hobbit and with whispered explanation to the others whom occupied the tent, left eventually with the group on his heals, to join the celebration. 

Frodo returned to the bedside of his loyal Samwise and there he remained for the rest of the evening, his mind ever on how such a fate could have bestowed upon himself rather than his companion. Eventually he fell asleep and so it was that his two cousins Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took found him in the first light of morning. For though they had been filled with a great need and desire to see their cousin since they had heard of Sam's injury, their duty was firstly to the city and the mark.

The pair were greatly saddened by the tale they pulled from their cousin once he was awake, yet they saw clearly that their pain was but a shadow in comparison to that which haunted Frodo. For long had the pair known that though Frodo and Samwise were very different Hobbits, they were built of the same thing. Two halves of the one soul, if you were and that the death or loss of one would almost assuredly be the death or loss of the other.

The pair told Frodo their tale and for a while their dear cousin seemed to find himself again and they observed that if it were not for Sam's illness, Frodo would be as he was before he had entered the influence of the Ring. This thought lightened their hearts enough so that they were soon suggesting that Frodo spent some time with what remained of the Fellowship.

And so at long last, Frodo heard the parts of the tale that Merry and Pippin had not been present to witness and his heart, for a time, forgot all of its pain. In fact it was not until Strider entered upon the company that he gave any thought at all to Samwise. For often it is the case that our hearts cover quickly over great wounds so that we may suffer as little pain as possible. 

When the Ranger appeared there was enough of a franticness to him, that all at once began to fear the worse. In fact Frodo had even gone so far as to proclaim that he would very much like to be buried with Sam, to save him the pain of living without him, when the Ranger began to laugh. Though great grief can oft' cause a wildness to a man's mind it has never been known to cause one to laugh at pain and so hope kindled again within the hearts of the Fellowship. 

"I think perhaps that you may have a few words with Sam about your wish to burry him alive Frodo. I am sure he could use a fair few of his Gaffers words to describe such a notion as that."

"Then he is alive?"

"Yes, yes and very much awake. As before I left him he was anxious as to your welfare. To think that…" But whatever Aragorn had been about to say was lost as the Ring barer jumped to his feet and dashed out towards his friend. Hobbits can indeed be fast creatures if the desire so takes them.

Samwise was indeed awake when Frodo came to his side again and he was greatly relieved to see his master well and whole. Frodo, however, would not settle himself down until he was entirely sure that Sam was truly on the mend.

"Honest, Mr. Frodo, I am well enough. I was well enough when Mr. Strider asked me and Mr Gandalf, isn't it a pleasure to see him alive…"

"Oh Sam! It is so good to hear you talk."

"Even when I run off at the mouth Sir?"

"Yes, even then, for at least I am assured that you are alive and not dead as I had feared."

"No not dead Sir, for it would mean leaving you and I still have no real wish to do that, plus I have a promise to hold onto." He said, his hand stretching to take Frodo's. And it was that one thing, the soft assured heat of Sam that left Frodo in no doubt that he was indeed alive and all of his pain and worrying burst out of him in a torrent of silent tears.     

"Oh! Mr. Frodo what is the matter? You are ill aren't you?" Sam enquired, his brown eyes suddenly increasing in size. Frodo laughed amid his tears and aware of Sam's wound, pulled his friend tight to him. 

"No Sam, not ill, not ill at all. In fact I am finally completely well and whole again." Frodo said, once the tears had gone. And never had a truer word been spoken, for now reunited with his Samwise, Frodo was free from pain or hurt. Even when the four Hobbits returned finally to the Shire (once Sam was well enough and they had paid a visit to Bilbo of course) and found it a ruin of its former glory, Frodo suffered no pain. Instead he fought along side Merry, Pippin and Sam and once poor Wormtongue had destroyed Saurman at last, he was honoured along with the rest as a saviour of the Shire.

In the first year after there return Frodo and Samwise were ever apart, Sam spending his time restoring the Shire and Frodo being forever occupied with the duties that his new office as mayor had bestowed upon him. However as the ending of the year came and the eve of that fateful day on Mount Doom drew in both were stricken downwards. Samwise rushed to his bed as his body recalled the stabbing pain of the wound that Gollum had inflicted upon him and Frodo awoken in the middle of the night with the terrible certainty that his friend had perished and that he was very much alone in the world. At dawn the next day Frodo came to visit his companion and begged him to come and live with him at Bag end. Samwise, having felt always the absence of his friend's presence, (though perhaps not always showing as such) was quick to agree and was soon settled in his new home. 

The pair were never apart after this and soon it was excepted everywhere in the Shire that Mr. Baggins and Mr. Gamgee were very much taken with one another and had no need for aimless gossip or potential suitors. Though Arwen had offered to Frodo the chance to cross over the sea from the Grey Havens, the Ring barer never took up this gift, but instead remained on the shores of Middle earth until the very end of his years. As his life dwindled away the Ring barer completed the red book and bestowed it upon Aragorn so that those of later years could see the danger from which he had saved middle earth. There was a passage at the very end of the book dedicated to what may have been had Gollum not taken the ring from Frodo's hand in that crucial moment. It was filled with visions that the Ring bearer had had of the other life he may have lived, of the great sadness he felt while recalling those memories. `I thank Gollum always in these last days of my life` the ending of the passage ran `for without him I would never have know the true untainted joy that has been my life for so many years now. ` 

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T: Ta dah! Yet another one over. R+R if you so wish but please no flames…would be appreciate rants though, perhaps on your feeling on what may have changed in this technical AU of mine.


	2. notes

T: nope don't get excited this isn't another chapter but in fact notes explaining a few things that I suppose need explaining in regards to Alterations. This notes section has been constructed thanks to Zorra's review. Big hug Zorra! So anyway, I wanted to explain I suppose why Frodo becomes de-pained by the wraith blade wound once the Ring is destroyed. It seemed to me in reading the book that once they were safe and sound in the Shire and the wound began to pain Frodo again, he seemed to always reach for the gem Arwen bestowed on him. Now this led me to two conclusions 1. That it was Frodo's craving for the Ring that is causing the continual pain of the wraith blade or 2. That he believed that the strength of the Ring could somehow prevent the pain of the blade. Following this through it is logical to see in my technical AU that in case number 1. Any craving Frodo felt towards the ring was destroyed when he himself threw in into the pit and so therefore the wound would no longer pain him or in case number 2. The strength he gains from knowing Sam is alive and generally having Sam at his side would allow him to over come the pain. In reading the books I always believed that the Ring itself had no hand in the pain caused by the Nazgul blade, but that Frodo seemed to be attempting to gain strength from it when the wound pained him. I suppose therefore that the wound may have pained Frodo, but having Sam to worry over as he did any pain of his own was pushed to one side. Anyway I don't actually think it is actually stated that the wound will pain Frodo later on, Gandalf mentions it never healing and I covered that, but not pain of any kind. I'm sure you'll tell me if I'm wrong! I also wanted to apologise for the complete lack of Rosie in this story, I really do love her as a character, it's just that I really can't see her as anything but Sam's wife and when I'm constructing stories they always seem to end out slashy.I'll try next time K? Oh and Zorra, yes the same thing can be said for Merry and Pip, which is of course why they saw it in Frodo and Sam! 


End file.
